So today has been a fun day for British politics hasn't it? For the second time in British history and the first time in 26 years, we have a female Prime Minister, and of course the internet has gone crazy - from people comparing her to Maggie Thatcher (mainly because she has boobs as opposed to balls) to people raging about how we are on the brink of a feminist revolution. But are we actually all now riding a wave to equal pay and gender equality? I don't think so.
So how did this happen?
I am going to be quite frank here - lately in the world of politics men have really managed to mess everything up! Not only that, they did it and then they ran for the hills, leaving others to clean up their devastating mess. Now don't get me wrong, I was jumping for joy when, the sly peroxide weasel Boris Johnson, cowardly ran to the sidelines, and was taking to the streets singing when Gove realised, that no he didn't have any friends, but this joy deteriorated quite quickly when I realised that once again women were going to pull the short straw. On the one hand we had Leadsom, a politician who would be better placed in the 1920's with her tasteless jibes at childless women and her quite frankly ridiculous attempt at being the 'Mother of Britain', on the other hand the Home Secretary, penned by the media as the "bloody difficult woman" Theresa May. Leadsom pulled out, and Theresa May became Prime Minister with no public vote - go figure.
So there we have it: Thesea May for PM, Nicola Sturgeon for Scotland and potentially Angela Eagle for Labour. Women are the new decision makers so why aren't we running to the streets quoting Emmeline Pankhurst? Well the answer to that is that what is happening here should by no means by misinterpreted as a feminist revolution.
Why is this bad for Feminism?
We have a new Prime Minister, and she is a woman, but I'm afraid just because she doesn't have something dangling between her legs, doesn't mean she has great record for equality. The Conservatives are known to openly shun the all-women shortlists and gender balanced candidate lists favoured by Labour and Green, and as a consequence they are the party with the least women, and yes a couple made it through, but more would have done if there was such a thing as equality in politics. Theresa May, the longest running Home Secretary in British history, openly calls herself a feminist and has worked very hard to get to where she is in her career, but did she do it through fighting for change and representing equality? Nope, sadly she she had to fit the mould and imitate the male leaders before her. In the words of Emmeline Pankhurst "men make the moral code and they expect women to accept it", and accept it May did.
I don't want this to sound like a personal attack on May herself, unfortunately sometimes as women we have to act like men to be heard, I have done it myself so I understand why she did what she did. On the other hand however, there are certain things which she has done politically which means I, personally cannot accept her as the feminist leader this country so desperately needs. Throughout her career in politics May has constantly voted and implemented cuts which directly make women's lives harder, she was a strong supporter of bedroom tax and she also voted for Universal Credit - a policy which gives financial support to a sole member of a family, thus putting those trapped in abusive relationships at risk. In addition to this, she defended immigration detention, renewed contracts with Serco (despite sexual violence reports) and deported thousands of people. She did a lot of this whilst being Minister for Women and Equality....erm anyone else see the problem with this?
Sadly it is these acts like these which got her the backing that she needed, and if feminist progress is measured in acts, then May's speak loud and clear.
So what does the future hold?
Your guess is as good as mine. There is a lot of unrest in the country due to the outcome of the referendum, and although May has said and I quote "Brexit means Brexit" there is a rocky road ahead for her. May does have a few good sides, for example she was behind a huge movement to tackle violence against women, she also co-founded Women2Win, an organisation set up to encourage more female Conservative MP's (the fact that this is needed speaks volumes),so she isn't completely draconian, though she isn't far off. May is also expected to elect several women into her cabinet in a bid to create a more gender-balanced government, which is a step in the right direction.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the future of our country, a woman yes, but a woman who has been forced to embody the 'male Conservative' qualities that we are quite frankly fed up with. Although everyone has the right to call themselves a feminist, if you are in a position of influence then you simply cannot be a true feminist if you vote for things which affect the chances of reaching gender equality, if you do not help those in need and if you turn a blind eye to whats happening around you.
It will be interesting to see what she does in her new position of power, will we see the gender pay gap close? Will we see more equal opportunities arise for women? Will we be on able to crash through that glass ceiling? Only time will tell; I would hold your horses, fellow 21st century suffragettes, I'm afraid it will be a long battle ahead.
*Second Image from Kotin - Shutterstock
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